Improvement in cranes



Z Sheets-SheetL. R. B. ROBISON..

CRANES. No. 170,301. Patented Nov. 23, 1875.

NPEIERS. PHOYO-LITNOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON- D. C

PATENT ROBERT B. ROBISON, PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CRANES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,301, dated November 23, 1875; application filed October 5, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. RoBIsoN, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cranes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the crane-post and jib, showing the gear-wheels for applying the power, and shipping-levers for reversing the motion to raise or lower the load. Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the opposite side of the post, showing the pawl and ratchet-wheel, and the friction-clutch for securing and controlling t-he drum of the hoisting-rope. Fig. 3'is a rear view of a portion of the post, showing the hoisting mechanism. Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of the front or jib side of the-post, showing the friction-drum for imparting power to the jib-truck, and the reversing mechanism for changing the direction of the travel of the carriage. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the crane; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the post and mechanism for rotating the post upon its pivot, and for fixing the post.

' Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to that class of devices known as power-cranes. The object in view is to combine with the crane a constant power, and mechanism for applying said power to the hoisting and traveling mechanism alternately or simultaneously, as may be desired. This crane is more especially intended for loading and unloading coal and grain cars and boats, but is adapted to many other purposes where cranes are employed.

I will now proceed to describe my invention, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates a crane-post, pivoted above in the crossor frame pieces a a, which are preferably made to diverge, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to brace and give greater support to the crane-post, and are supported by the posts a. Post A is stepped in the usual manner, and may be provided with antifriction devices, if desired. To the lower end of the crane-post I secure, in any suitable manner, a large cog-wheel, c, the post thus forming the journal and moving with the cogwheel 0, which is operated by a worm, 0, whenever the post is to berotated. D is a square or irregular rod or bar, which passes through acorresponding vertical slot in the lower end of the post, and is controlled by a pivoted lever, d, by means of which the lower end of D may be forced into or withdrawn from a slot in the bearing 01, accordingly as it is desired to lock or rotate the post. This rod D I term the locking bar. Immediately above cogwheel 0, which is secured to the post, is a crown-wheel, E, loose upon the post, (its shaft,) and provided with two sets of cogsone set, 6, gearing with the bevel-gear F, fast on the power-shaft G, and the other, e, gearing with beveled spur-wheel H, journaled in bearings on the crane-post. I (see Fig. 3) is the drum of the hoisting-rope, journaled in brackets secured to the crane-post, and provided at one end with a clutch or pawl, i, and ratchet i and with friction clutch or brake 1?, which latter may bear upon the hub of the ratchet, or upon the drum-shaft, as preferred. Upon the opposite end of this drum-shaft is a sliding pinion, 6 providing with a shipping-lever, t, by means of which the pinion t is moved into or out of gear with bevel spur-wheel H, accordingly as the hoisting mechanism is to be started or stopped. The pinion i revolves with the drum-shalt, which may be caused by a feather upon the shaft, by making the shaft square, as shown, or in any other of the wellknown ways.

I prefer to form the hoisting-drum I with a spiral groove upon its face, so as to prevent the twisting or straining of the rope, and to prevent the rubbing and wear of the rope while coiling and uncoiling itself from the drum. B indicates the jib, the upper surface of which is provided with ways b, upon which the jib-truck 0 travels. The truck 0 is provided with two pulleys, over which the hoisting-rope 11. passes, said rope being secured at one end to the extremity of the jib, and at the other end to the drum I, the loop i men. I

of the rope dependent from thejib-truck 0 carryin g the sheave and pulleyof the usual loadhook h. i

I will next describe the mechanism employed for reversing the travel of the jib truck, re

irregular, (as before mentioned in describing the hoisting mechanismfl or in any of the wellknown ways.

By means of shipping-lever k gear-wheel k may be thrown into and out of gear with bevel spur-wheel H, so that when in gear the friction-drum will revolve in the direction of the full-line arrow, Fig. 1, causing the jib-truck to travel in the reverse direction, and when out of gear with the pinion R will revolve with the shaft as an idler.

Parallel to the shaft 70 of the friction-drum K is a second shaft, L, also journaled in brackets secured to the craneipost, and provided with two pinions, Z 1 fast upon the shaft, said shaft being so constructed as to admit of end motion, so that by means of a shipping-lever, l pivoted to the crane-post, the pinions l and l may be thrown into or out of gear with bevel spur-wheel H of the power mechanism and pinion k of thefrictiondrum.

When the pinions H I l k gear, the frictiondruin will revolve in the direction shown in. dotted line, Fig. 1, causing the jib-truck to travel in the direction of the full-line arrow; but when thrown out of gear the shaftL and its pinions l I become idlers.

It will be seen from the above description that either set of pinions may be thrown into gear with the power mechanism, according tothe direction the jib-truck is required to travel; or both sets of pinions may be thrown out of gear when the truck is to remain stationary. The power is transmitted to the truck by a rope, O, which passes around friction-drum K and pulleys s s s, the ends of the rope being made fast to opposite ends of the truck 0.

M represents the crane-bucket of a triangular frame, hung by chains to the load-hook, with the base upward, the sides at being hinged above, as at m, and secured below by a slide, on, having hooks n, which take over lugs or projections 0 upon the lower part of the hinged sides.

In handling coal or similar material the slide can be drawn to release the hinged sides and discharge the load, and in handling grain or similar material the bucket may be forced into the grain in loading, the load being discharged in the manner before specified.

The operation of these devices is as follows: Suppose the hoisting-rope to be unwound from the drum I, the bucket with its load at its lowest point, the jib-truck at the extreme end of the jib, and the. hoisting and truckoperat ing mechanism out of gear with the power mechanism. The. power mechanism (gearwheels E F H) is set in motion, and revolves without actuating the remaining mechanism until such a time as it is desired to raise the load, when, by means of shipping-levers i, the gear'wheel i of hoisting-drum I is brought into gear with H, revolving the hoisting-drum, and coiling the hoisting-rope around the same until the load is raised the desired height,

when the pinion '5 is thrown out of gear with H, the drum I being held by the pawl t and ratchet v3 until such. a time as it is desired to lower the load. Next, to cause the jibtruck to travel toward the crane-post, shaft L is moved by shipping-lever Z so as to bring H H k into gear, when friction-drum K will be rotated in the direction of the dotted arrow, causing the truck to move toward the crane-post until in the required position, when the pinions H l l k are thrown out of gear.

By means of the worm c and cog-wheel the Y post may be turned to bring the load to the i proper position, after which the pawl 'iis withdrawn, and the brake or friction-clutch i used to retard the motion of drum I inloweringthe load.

As soon as the load is discharged (or at any other time) the truck may be caused to travel toward the outer end of the jib by bringing loose pinion k of friction-drum shaft 70 into. gear with the power bevel spurwheel H, which reverses the motion of the friction-drum, cansin g it to rotatein the direction of the full-line arrow.

Theadvantages of my deviceswill be apparent, and are, first, that the crane may be,

operated by a single person; secondly, that power may be applied to bringthe crane-jib into any desired position; thirdly, the power.

by which the hoisting mechanism and mechanism which operates thejib-truck is driven is constant, and may be applied to either purpose alternately, or to both purposes simultaneously, or the entire operative mechanism of y the crane may be thrown out of gear without checking the power mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the cranepost, the

2. The combination of the hoisting-drum,

the drum and mechanism for causing the intermediate sliding pinion, substantially as travel of the truck, the power mechanism, and for the purpose specified.

and the intermediate fast, loose, and sliding In testimony whereof I, the said ROBERT pinions, whereby the hoisting mechanism and B. ROBISON, have hereunto set my hand. jib-truck may be operated simultaneously or alternately, substantially as specified. ROBERT B. ROBISON.

3. The combination of the bevel power-gear- Witnesses:

ing 0 H, the latter pivoted or journaled to JOHN B. GEYSER,

the crane-post, the winding-drum I, and the F. W. BITTER, Jr. 

